Compensating hinge



Dec. ze, 1950 G, w. SLOPA l 2,535,324

I COMPENSATING HINGE Filed Feb. 1'7, 1948 u w m Mld EE0/95E W imm INVENTOR wir Arran/EY Patented Dec. 26, 1950 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE `COMPI?.NS'ATINJG HIN George W. Slopa, Chicago,l Ill'.

Application February 17, 1948, Seriali No. 81,939 8. claims. (c1. 16-131 l The present invention relates to improvements in an adjustable overlap hingeI and, more particularly, to a novel, ruggedly constructed, freeswinging.` hinge ofi that character' which insures tight, uniform'. sealing between. a door and its related door frame.

Known types-of'hinges and door mountings of' a kind adapted'to urge a door into tight sealing contact@ with its: related doorV frame embody various' and frequently complicated', unsightly structures which, in some instances, are not entirely satisfactory use because ofthe looseness or the rigidity in the hinge mounting, or. the diiiiculties involved in .part replacement.

The hinge structure. disclosed. herein is generallyfconcerned` with the` type of' overlap hinge havingl manually manipulablev means to adjust the door-supporting hingev element relativev to its mounting plate to facilitateadjustment of' its yieldable element so as to insure tight sealing yieldable contact between the door and the door frame to compensate for any strain due to icing or other: conditions which may prevent uniform sealing. Itis, therefore, an object ofthe present invention to provide a novelly constructed, rugged, yieldable overlap hinge.

Another object is' to provide, in a hinge structure, novel features of construction and assembly, which will facilitate part replacement without complete dismantling of the installation.

Another object is to` provide a compensating hinge structure withresilient means arranged to exert pressure in a direction at right angles to the plane of the door so as to urge the door, when in closed position, into tight seal-ing engagement with the door frame.

Another object is to provide a hinge of the scription and claims, and are illustrated in the accompanying drawing which, by way of illustration, shows exemplary embodiments andthe principles thereof. Other embodimentsof the invention embodying the same principle may be used, and structural changesmay be made as desired by those skilled in the art, withoutV debroken away, showing a refrigerator door in closed position and supported by an overlap hinge embodying the structure involved herein.

Fig. 2 is: an elevational view of the` hinge shown in Fig. 1,.

Fig. 3- is, a horizontal central sectional view taken substantially on line 3,-3 of Fig. 2, showing the door in closed position.y

Fig.y 4 is an end elevational view of the hinge shown in, Fig, 2, but illustrating` the door in a partially open position.

Fig. 5 isa central sectional Viewv simliar tov Fig. 3, showing a modified form of construction.

The. hinge structure. embodying the featuresv of the presentV invention is best shown in Fig. 1 as applied toI a door of a kind particularly adapted for closing an opening in a chamber in which it is desired to maintain a predetermined temperature, such as, for example, a cold storage chamber 0r refrigerator. The door is of conventional construction and is provided with suitable sealing strips or gaskets which engage the face of the door frame surrounding the opening for establ-ishing a tight seal. In order to maintain a tight seal around the entire opening, the hinge elements provided for mounting the door necessarily are of a compensating type, so that the edge of the door along which said hinges are mounted may be adjusted towards or away from the door frame progressively lto compensate forl any wear in the sealing strips, or for any strain imposed upon the sealing strips because of icing or other conditions which may retard uniform sealing.

Referring to the accompanying drawing, which is illustrative of an exemplary form ci refrigerator wall; door opening and closure door therefor, it will; be observed that the wail ll is provided with a door opening at l2* having a door I3 in abutment with the marginal area or door frame surrounding the opening I2. The relationship between the doorl I3 and the door frame is such as to provide a hermetic seal therebetween soas to prevent rapid heat transferl When the door is closed and latched. It might he noted at this time that all references herein to a door frame include the marginal area of any door opening adapted to be closed by a door the discussed .de Jail hereinafter.

As shown, the door i3 is mounted to swing about an axis into open and closed positions, the axis preferably being located along one vertical' edge of the door. Such pivotal mounting of the door is obtained by the use of a plurality of overlap hinges generally indicated at I4. In the disclosure, only one such hinge is shown, it being obvious that two or more may be utilized, depending upon the size and weight of the door. The hinge elements are secured firmly to one edge of the door I3 and to the face of the door frame. The other, or free edge of the door I 3 has, mounted thereon, a suitable manually operable latch mechanism including a movable dog I5, which cooperates with a keeper I6 mounted on the door frame adjacent the edge of the door opening. In this structure, when the door is swung into a closed position and latched, a, sealing strip or gasket II, provided on the inside face of the door I3, is brought into tight sealing contact with the face of the door frame so as to hermetically seal the same. y

Owing to icing conditions, or the presence of other obstacles, which may prevent uniform and tight sealing ci the gasket II around the door frame, the hinge elements I4 embody a yieldable construction so as to automatically compensate for any variations in the ultimate or sealing position of the gasket I'I.

The construction of the yieldable overlap hinge element is best illustrated in Figs. 2, 3 and 4 and, as there shown, the hinge includes a mounting plate i8, which preferably is substantially rectangular in shape and is secured to the face of the refrigerator wall adjacent to the door frame by means of suitable bolts I3. A pair of outwardly extending ears or lugs EI project from the face of the plate I8 adjacent one edge thereof. These lugs have aligned apertures therein to receive therethrough a pintle pin 22. The pin 22 is adapted to provide hinge means for a bell-crank shaped link 23 which is suitably apertured at one end to receive the pintle pin 22 therethrough when said end is positioned between the spaced ears 2 I.

The link 23 extends outwardly from the plate I8 at an angle relative thereto so as to dispose its free end portion or arm 2li in a plane substantially parallel to the plane of the mounting plate I8, but spaced therefrom as best shown in Fig. 3. A lateral pin 25 is carried in the link 23 midway between its ends, which pin projects outwardly beyond the side faces thereof and is jourf nailed at its ends in spaced lugs 23 extending outwardly from one face of a member 2l, which is iirmly secured to the edge of the door I 3, as by screws 23. The link 23 is sufliciently rugged in its construction as to afford adequate means to support the weight of the door, which is carried thereby.

The construction and mode of mounting, which is described in more detail hereinafter, is such as to permit the door to be pivotally moved into open and closed position about the lateral pin 25 without substantial movement being imparted to the link 23. Such free swinging movement of the door and limited movement of the link 23 is accomplished by providing yieldable limiting means in direct association with the hinge link 23 and mounting plate I8.

Upon referring to Fig. 3, it will be observed that the mounting plate I8 is provided on its top face with a relatively shallow boss 29 suitably apertured as at 3l to receive freely therethrough a tie-rod 32. The tie-rod 32 has a square head 33 on its lower end which sits snugly in an enlarged recess 34 of substantially the same contour provided in the bottom face of the plate I8. The

tie-rod 32 projects outwardly from the plate I8 and extends freely through an aperture 35 in the bottom wall 36 of a well 31 formed in the free end portion 24 of the bellcrank link 23.

A compression spring 38 is seated within the well 3'.' with the free end of the tie-rod extending upwardly therethrough. A cap-washer 33 is tted over the free end of the tie-rod 32 and rests upon the uppermost end of the spring 38. The cap-washer 39 may be threaded on the tierod as shown, or it may have a loose i'lt thereover. The washer 39 is of a circumference substantially corresponding to and slideable freely within the well 31 and it is formed on its lower face with a boss 4I of a diameter to t within the related end of the spring 33 so as to retain said spring insubstantial alignment with the tie-rod 32. A nut 42 is threaded upon the projecting end of the tie-rod 32 and, upon adjusting the position of this nut and of the cap-washer 33 on said tie-rod, the tension of the spring 33 may be increased or decreased. It should be obvious, at this time, that the spring 3S, when tensioned, is efective to urge the free end 24 of link 23 inwardly towards the plate I8 thereby changing the position of the lateral pin 25 with respect to the plane of the door frame, for purposes to become apparent as the description proceeds.

When the door I3 is in open or substantially open position, that is, out of sealing contact with the door frame, the spring 33 tilts the link 23 substantially into the position illustrated in Fig. 4. Movement of the link 23 into the position there illustrated is controlled by a resilient stop which, in the present instance, consists ci a compression spring 43 arranged between the bottom face of the arm 24 and the opposed surface oi the mounting plate I8. As illustrated, the boss 23 on the mounting plate extends into the spring 43 to retain it in axial relationship with the tie-rod 32. It is preferred that the spring 43 be of lesser strength than the spring 38, the former being eiective only when tensioned sufficiently, upon expansion of the compression spring 38, to equalize the progressively reduced tension of spring 38.

When the door I3 is swung into closed position with the gasket I'I therein in tight sealing contact with the door frame, the lateral pin 25 (and bell-crank 23) are carried outwardly from the position illustrated in Fig. 4 into the position substantially as illustrated in Fig. 3. -This repositioning of the bell-crank link 23 compresses the spring 325 and thereby substantially relieves all tension on the resilient stop spring 43. In the event that resistance is offered to the gasket I'I, owing to icing, or to the presence of some other obstruction, the hinge structure yields suciently through further compression of spring 33 to compensate for such displacement.

In instances when the gasket Ii becomes worn, or it otherwise deteriorates to such an extent as to require closer positioning of the door I3 against the door frame, the adjusting nut 42 may be reset to increase the tension on the spring 38 and thereby locate the bell-crankv link arm 2'4 and the lateral pin 25 in closer relationship to the mounting plate 28. Inasmuch as the adjusting nut 42 is located on the front side of the link 23, it is easily and quickly accessible for adjustment and, should spring replacement be required, said nut 42 and washer 33 may be easily and quickly removed.

The spring overlap hinge illustrated in Fig. 5

is substantially identical in its general construction to the overlap hinge described hereinabove. In this embodiment, however, a stop washer 4d is threaded upon the tie-rod 32, and is readily adjustable therealong so as to provide an adjustable stop against which the bottom of the link arm 24 may abut when the door is swung out of sealing contact with the door frame. Adjustment of the stop washer 44 is required only when the tension of the spring 38 within the well 31 is adjusted to compensate for existing conditions of use, or when a new spring replaces a damaged or weakened spring.

Although exemplary embodiments of the invention have been disclosed in detail in the accompanying drawing and specifically described in the foregoing specication, it should be understood that the invention is capable of embodying a variety of modications in detail structure without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A hinge for doors for closing and sealing an opening through a door frame, including a member adapted to be attached to the door, a mounting plate adapted to be attached to the door frame, a link pivotally connected to the member and to the mounting plate and having an arm extending therefrom, a well in said arm extending in the direction of the mounting plate, said well being open at one end and having an apertured wall at its other end, a spring seated in said well, and a tie-rod loosely connected to said mounting plate and extending through the aperl ture in the end wall and through the spring, means on the free end of said tie-rod to cooperate with the spring to urge the arm towards the mounting plate to thereby rock the link and exert force on the door adjacent the hinge when the door is closed.

A2. A hinge comprising a mounting plate and a door carrying member, a bell-crank pivotally connected at one end to the mounting plate and between its ends to the member, a well in the free end portion of said bell-crank, a spring located within said well, and means connecting said spring and the mounting plate effective to retain the spring under tension to urge the free end portion of the bell-crank towards the mounting plate.

3. A hinge comprising a mounting plate and a door carrying member, a bell-crank pivotally connected at one end to the mounting plate and between its ends to the member, a well in the free end portion of said bell-crank, a spring located within said well, means connecting said spring and the mounting plate effective to retain the spring under tension to urge the free end portion of the bell-crank towards the mounting plate, and means on the connecting means to limit movement of said free end portion towards the mounting plate.

4. A hinge comprising a mounting plate and a door carrying member, a bell-crank pivotally connected at one end to the mounting plate and between its ends to the member, a well in the free end portion of said bell-crank, a spring located within said well, means connecting Said spring and the mounting plate effective to retain the spring under tension to urge the free end portion of the bell-crank towards the mounting plate, and resilient means on said connecting means adapted for abutment by the arm to restrain movement of the arm towards said mounting plate.

5. A hinge comprising a mounting plate and a door carrying member, a link pivotally connected at one end to said plate and intermediate its ends to said door carrying member, resilient means connecting the free end of said link to the mounting plate effective to urge said end towards said plate, and means to limit movement of the free end towards said plate.

6. A hinge comprising a mounting plate and a door lcarrying member, a link pivotally connected at one end to said plate and intermediate its ends to said door carrying member, resilient means connecting the free end oi said link to the mounting plate effective to urge said end towards said plate, and adjustable means to limit movement of the free end towards said plate.

7. A hinge comprising a plate and a member, a bell-crank pivotally mounted at one end to the plate and between its ends to the member, a well in the free end portion of said bell-crank, a spring located within said well, and means connecting said spring and the plate eiective to retain the spring under tension to urge the free end portion of the bell-crank toward the plate.

8. A hinge comprising a plate and a member, a link pivotally connected at one end to said plate and intermediate its ends to said member, resilient means connecting the free end of said link to the plate effective to urge said end toward said plate, and adjustable means to limit movement of the free end toward said plate.

GEORGE W. SLOP'A.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 822,279 Jones June 5, 1906 1,273,735 Child July 23, 1918 1,475,833 Lamb Nov. 27, 1923 1,987,512 Leonard Jan. 8, 1935 2,208,310 Leonard July 16, 1940 

